Computer systems, as well as other products, are shipped worldwide to customers. These products must be packaged in a manner that ensures that the products reach their destination without being damaged during the shipping process. Typically, the unit is enclosed for shipment within a protective foam frame. Once the unit is placed within the protective foam frame, the foam frame is slid into a cardboard box for shipment. The foam frame cushions the unit against the customary movement and jostling that is typical in the shipping process.
In the computer industry, the physical size of many computer systems is decreasing. In particular, many server systems are becoming thinner. Despite this decrease in physical size, the feature set of many computer systems continues to grow in complexity. As an example, a server system may have a size of 1U (1¾″ of thickness) and include within the case dual processors, multiple hard drives, and a backup power system. The placement of these features within a single server system leads to an increase in component density within the server unit. In addition, some server systems included parts that protrude externally from the chassis of the server system. As an example, some server systems may include an external power dongle or mounting flanges that are external to the chassis of the computer system. If a unit that includes an external component is dropped, depending on the angle of the drop and the shape of the external component, the external component may cut through the protective foam frame. If this occurs, the external component may encounter a hard stop once the external component reaches a hard surface, damaging the external component or the entire unit. The possibility of the unit cutting through the foam is exacerbated when the unit itself is heavy, as in the case of some server units. In the case of server units, protecting the server unit from damage is critical, as the server unit is often a vital piece of a computer network, as compared with a desktop or client computer.